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MotoGP: Rossi feeling comfortable as he returns to action

Published:
22 September 2017

Valentino Rossi says he’s feeling comfortable on his return to MotoGP action today at Motorland Aragon, only 22 days since undergoing surgery to have a broken right peg pinned after an enduro training crash only a few weeks ago.

The Italian finished the wet opening day of action at the Spanish circuit 20th overall but happy with his pace in wet conditions, despite admitting afterwards that he was always mindful of his injuries in slippery conditions.

But despite that, he also says that he’s feeling surprisingly good on the bike as the weekend’s action goes into a dry second day tomorrow.

“I’m quite happy, because I feel comfortable on the bike. I was good already from this morning and also because the leg, after two practice sessions, is in a good condition, I don’t feel a lot of pain. For sure on the wet it’s a bit easier, because it’s less demanding to ride the bike, but I hope we will have better weather conditions tomorrow and on Sunday, in order to try to understand my level on the dry and also so we can work on the setting and the tyres.”

However, it was a more difficult day for teammate Maverick Viñales, with his rain woes on the Movistar Yamaha continuing despite a strong showing last time out in Misano, to eventually end the day a distant 17th place on combined times.

“It was very complicated. We were trying a new set-up for the wet, but unfortunately we didn’t find a way to improve. We’re having so much spin, the bike is not riding well, so we have many problems to set a good lap time. Luckily, it will be dry and we know we will have a strong package for those conditions. We are going to try to improve on the wet. We are trying and trying, but sometimes it gets difficult. We didn’t improve compared to Misano, we took some steps back whilst trying to improve, but we’re going to keep trying to do our best.”